Bill's Jealous Maker
Mariana Klaveno plays Lorena, Bill’s jealous Maker and the character most True Blood fans love to hate. In another charming interview, the actor spoke about the Emmy nominations, working on True Blood, and, of course, keeping her day job (the question she seems to answer most often).
“She’s not the most likable character,” Klaveno concedes to USA Today, speaking of Lorena. But, “I’m not as evil as Lorena. I know some people have a hard time making that distinction between myself and the character. I get recognized everywhere I go, so I think that just is a testament to how popular the show is. But luckily, nobody has booed or hissed or come at me with a stake. Everyone has been very lovely and warm and excited to talk with somebody from the show.”
Anything goes on True Blood and Klaveno is happy to have the opportunity to show her range: ”The scale of the show, it’s like a dream. You get to show up for work and put on these amazing costumes and have this dramatic makeup and do all kinds of crazy stunts and you’re splashed with the blood. It’s like playing dress-up in a lot of ways. It’s the most fun I think you can have. This character, in particular, is kind of a dream in terms of showcasing yourself as an actor. I’ve gotten to go so many places on the spectrum, and, quite literally, in time, which is quite rare for a television role.”
Lorena Loves Her William
Even though True Blood has become one of hottest shows on television, it’s not a secret (at this point, anyway) that Mariana held onto her restaurant job through Season Two: ”I was only working one shift on Saturday, but I still kept it. I’d been a starving actor for so many years and I’d seen a lot of people get a pilot or get that first big job and quit, and six months later, have to come back because the money run’s out and there’s no guarantee that that job will turn into anything,” she says. “This industry is so unreliable in that respect and I knew I couldn’t do that. I knew in my heart I could never come back, so I thought the alternative is staying way past what was really needed and necessary.”
And it didn’t help matters that fans of the show were starting to recognize her more and more: ”Some people looked at me like I was crazy. I was a little embarrassed about it and I didn’t really talk about it to the other actors on set. I didn’t out myself that I was still working at a restaurant. There are a lot of those emotional issues tied to it; pride and fear. That was just the choice that was right for me. I was finally able to let it go and cut that cord. Now I just go back and visit.”
She’s adjusted well to just having the one job now, and says contrary to what people may think, the cast keeps things light on the intense True Blood set: ”There’s a lot of laughs that go on behind the scenes, actually, between every take. We usually are cracking jokes and making fun of each other. It’s a very funny set and there’s a lot of levity going on between the dark and gloomy vampire scenes.”
Mariana and co-star Stephen Moyer, unlike their True Blood characters, don’t have bad blood: ”We’re actually very good friends and I adore Anna as well. They’re really great people.”
One of Klaveno’s more memorable scenes with Moyer may have made Paquin blush, however. Bill gruesomely twists Lorena’s head around during a session of wild, hateful vampire sex: ”Bill hates me and I don’t know why,” Klaveno cracks dryly. “I think I thought about my parents and just kind of shook my head and thought, ‘I hope they survive this episode.’”
But for all of the out-there scenes and pitch-perfect acting, True Blood failed to pick up any cast Emmy nominations: ”We’re all really excited just to get the nomination for best show. Normally, it’s rare for genre shows to get the same recognition that more of the conventional shows do. That just seems to be the nature of how things are nominated and where the precedent has been set over the years. But, I hope that that changes. I think there are just stunning actors on the show and they do such brilliant work. Not that I’m upset with the nominating committee, but it’s such a phenomenal group of people and we try to do really great work. We’re all very happy with the nominations. Maybe next year some people will get some recognition.”
This unabashed Lorena fan hopes Mariana is one of those people who are recognized. She’s a scene-stealer…
She is an awesome actress. Hope to see her in other projects.
I didn’t like her in season 2 but she has really grown on me this season. She is gorgeous and she can act. It would be a shame if they kill her off and she can’t come back to haunt Bill anymore.
Mariana Klaveno is an amazing actress. She makes Lorena the most interesting minor character for me. Lorena and Bill are everything that we dont want Bill and Sookie to turn out as.
She makes me cry whenever she says she loves Bill. I mean yes she’s a horrible villian, but her existance is tragic, as is her love for Bill. I totally understand where people who want her dead are coming from. I doubt that she’ll be still alive next season. But his season especially I feel so sorry for a character who’s neck I wanted snapped the first time I saw her.
That is what makes Alan Ball so great: he gives a snapshot of someone, then slowly reveals their point of view. Like I could have felt sorry for Lorena in season 2. But really, once the writers start wanting you to feel sorry for the villian, they usually die.
(I love her style as well. Every time I see one of her dresses I start wanting her dead so i can steal her wardrobe! :D) I cant see Lorena ccoming back from “killing” Bill. I only wonder will Sookie , Bill, Russel or someone on Russels orders be the one to end this tragic character.
lets team up, steak her and make off with her wardrobe!!!!
But I second your comment through and through, AB is great at constructing the emotional and psychological fabric of the characters into something so multilayered and texture-rich you are constantly surprised and guessing.
sorry *Stake* her LOL
Lol i love steak too so either way… She is so well dressed if maybe always overdressed (like such a nice dress that gets ruined by feeding on the depressed stripper !
Yes, the characters are so believable on this show. And thats saying something considering they’re mostly supernatural creatures. So much so that when there is a new character I’m not keen on, i know that I’ll pobably change my mind once I “know” them better. Like I’ve changed my mind about Tommy so much already.
I love “steak” too! I think that’s what we do with Alcide – toss him a steak and make off with his giant lumberjack shirt. Then again, umn, no thanks.
Yes indeed, MK’s wardrobe has been exquisite, also beautiful in a voluptuous velvet -snood Little Women sort of way in the Caroline flashback.
I’d like to steal the frocks, too, except I haven’t ventured near the Size 2 rack in a decade (big lie – quarter of a century. Bigger lie: never got below an 8).
I know that CitizenE can’t wait until Lorena is in final-dead mode. With respect to the genius of CE, I’ve found the Bill-Lorena perverse love story quite interesting, and of late, darkly moving. Thank you, Mariana Klaveno.
I cant hink of one outfil of Lorena’s I didnt lust after.
My favourite was the green dress pictured above. Was that the scene where she released Bill after his near suicide? I just love that shade of green. Her underthings in the bloody sex scene with bill were also quite fetching…
Well said! I agree. Poor Lorena.
****SPOILER******
I just saw a HBO clip over at BillsBelles where Lorena says she knows why Bill loves her so much (re the tasty blood) and Sookie then says (could not hear it properly) was going to kill her and lorena laughs and next thing it is Bill or Alcide behind her with fangs, so maybe Bill? So Bill gets Lorena and what then? There are specs out there that Bill drains Sookie, but I guess we have to watch the whole scene. Not as simple as it appears – looks like there is more drama prior to the draining!
hey lizzieI’ve watched that clip too. I really hope sookie gets to stake /steak lorena and have the final “I nailed her a*s good and proper” moment. Maybe after she recovers from the near-draining? That would give lorena some more much deserved air time and it would make sense because, with the exception of bill who cant kill her, she is the only other character with a real issue with lorena. Unless someone steps up to do sookie the favour of removing lorena…
Of course it has not been smart of sookie to go and provoke lorena by telling her do get her mites off bill and that she’ll kill her and etc. But smart or not, it shows how passionate sookie feels about bill and I find her spunk and determination quite endearing.
Anyone notice that Lorena isn’t wearing her favorite necklace from last season that bill gave her was there ever a moment during the second season that, that necklace ever left her neck now its the 3rd season and the necklace is no longer on her.
And Mariana is the only actor who seems to have mastered speaking wifout a lithp with her fangs in ;-)
Yes I crack up when alex says “Sookie Stackhouse”. He hasnt mastered it yet
I think Lorena’s evolution on the show has been a bit like Jessica’s. In season 1 not too many people were fond of Jessica and her whininess, but now they adore her. Lorena was hated in season 2, but I love her this season. I started to like her in season 2 when she quipped to Sookie about Bill’s domestic violence with the TV, making me snicker, and seeing the softer side of her this year has been amazing.
I really hope good things keep coming to Mariana. I think that she is adorable, and I still covet the lace dress she was wearing before Bill twisted her neck around.
New trailer season 3 (with pictures season 2 in addition)!!!!!!!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V7upuv0kH5M
wow!!!
got a few spoilers in there huh!
if you havent seen it do not read past this point!….
so bill has met claudine before? explains why he wakes from a slumber and realises what sookie is…I also recall the actress playing claudine giving an interview @ the season premiere. She says something along the lines of she has a possible relationship with some1..But that could easily be her referring to her relationship with sookie so we will soon see :) … nan flanagan not in black for once, and her hair is out?… lorena tastes sookie and realises why bill loves her… sophie ann asks eric why he cares about sookie… alot of worried faced eric in the clip also. One clip eric is bloodied up just like bill… jessica and bill fight… someone is flying like a crazy nut towards fangatasia (likely eric or russell).
Wow that is spoilery… thanks :)
click on the LAETIMEG provided…its a good watch…thanks for that LAETIMEG
woops i meant click on the link provided lol sorry its late where I am and should be sleepin…which im about to do now!! hehe
Another good interview and hope Mariana will be back in flashbacks …..she seems a very grounded person so wish her all the best for future projects too .